Handle attaching apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for simultaneously attaching ventilator handles to mattress border and puncturing the border in registration with the handle vents. The apparatus comprises a bed over which border material is movable, a press movable downwardly towards the bed for attaching successive handles to the upper surface of the border and a pair of rotary cutters below the bed movable upwardly through passageways therein to puncture the border in registration with the handle vents at approximately the same time as they are attached as aforesaid.

United States Patent 1 1 3,579,773

[72] Inventor Milton Zysman [56] References Cited Toronto, Ontario, Canada UNITED STATES PATENTS gig-No. 221 1 2 6 196 2,355,200 8/1928 BeClfiill: 2/345 1 2,500,336 319 Beci 345 [451 92511971 2,961,669 11/1960 Bechik 5/345 [731 Assign Limied 2,981,960 5/1961 Bechik 5/345 Nassau, Bahamas Primary Examiner-Frank T. Yost Attorney-Leon Arthurs l 54] HANDLE ATTACHING APPARATUS AND ABSTRACT: Apparatus 'for simultaneously attaching ventila- METHOD tor handles to mattress border and puncturing the border in 11 Cl 7Drawin Fi registration with the handle vents. The apparatus comprises a g bed over which border material is movable, a press movable [52] US. Cl 29/91, downwardly towards the bed for attaching successive handles 5/345B, 29/91 1, 29/440 to the upper surface of the border and a pair of rotary cutters [5 l Int. Cl B68g 7/12 below the bed movable upwardly through passageways therein [50] Field of Search ..29/91, 91.1, to puncture the border in registration with the handle vents at 91.3, 91.4, 440; 5/345, 347 approximately the same time as they are attached as aforesaid.

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PATENTED mzsmn 3,579,773

sum 1 or z Im/ewroa MILTON ZYSMHN Hgant PATENIED HAY25|97I 3579,7713

sum 2 or z FIGS INVENTOR. MILTON ZYSMAN HANDLE ATTACHING APPARATUS AND METHOD This invention relates generally to apparatus and method for the attaching of handles to mattress border material for subsequent inclusion in a mattress assembly.

Prior art mattress borders have been provided with various forms of handle for the obvious purpose of facilitating handling of the mattress. The present invention has reference to that type of mattress handle which is perforated to provide an air vent therethrough. Such handles, hereinafter referred to as ventilator handles, have been designed to simulate the known type of proper vents which have, in some mattresses, been provided directly in the border itself to enable the interior of the mattress to breathe. It will be understood that such vents in handles to which the invention relates are usually provided on borders not equipped with proper venting and, thus, no effective communication is afforded between the atmosphere and the mattress interior; the purpose of such ventilator handles having been to enhance the appearance of the mattress.

It is a broad object of the present invention to provide a method of and apparatus for attaching ventilator handles to mattress border material in such'manner that true venting through the border and the vents in said handles is effected.

It is a still further object to provide method andapparatus as aforesaid wherein punctures are formed in the mattress border at locations in registration with vents in the handles, said forming being carried out in timed relation to the actual attaching of the handles to the border and it is an associated object to provide such method and apparatus wherein the said punctures are formed in the mattress border whilst the handles are actually being attached thereto.

It is a yet further object to provide method and apparatus as aforesaid wherein the depth of the puncture in the border is controlled enabling the puncture to extend through the border from one surface thereof to the other but without damaging or interfering with the handle which is attached to the border at that location during the puncturing operation.

It is a yet further object to provide such method and apparatus whereby a plurality of punctures are simultaneously formed in the mattress border at locations in registration with corresponding vents in each handle.

In order to meet the foregoing and other unspecified objects, the invention provides method and apparatus for attaching ventilator handles to mattress border material wherein the said border is punctured at a location in registration with the handle vents to effect a path of communication through the border and through said vents. Thus, when such border with a handle or handles attached as aforesaid is incorporated in a mattress,-a path of communication is established between the mattress interior and atmosphere via the puncture in the border and the vents in the handles. I

Other objects of the invention, more or less broad than the foregoing, will become apparent from the hereinafter following description of the parts, principles and elements thereof given herein solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the instant apparatus showing a handle in position prior to being attached to a mattress border;

FIG. 2 is a partly broken away top plan view of the apparatus taken at the attachment station thereof, part of the attaching means being removed for the sake of clarity;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are more detailed side sectional views of part of the attaching, puncturing and clamping means showing their relative dispositions at different stages in their sequence of operations;

FIG. 5 is a partly broken away top plan view showing the puncturing means;

FIG. 6 is a partly broken away perspective view of the apparatus, and

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view ofa ventilator handle secured to mattress border material.

The instant apparatus as illustrated herein is utilized for the attaching of ventilator handles 10 provided with vents 12 (see FIG. 7) to mattress border material 14 and includes puncturing means P for puncturing border 14 at locations disposed in registration with the handle vents 12. The apparatus also includes means such as the takeup drum 16 illustrated in FIG. 1 for advancing border 14 through an attachment station on the apparatus whereby successive handles 10 fed to the attachment station can be attached at spaced-apart intervals along the border 14; the border 14 subsequently being cut or joined to provide mattress borders of a required length.

The apparatus is basically comprised of attaching means A and the aforesaid puncturing means P operable in timed relationship one to another and located at the aforesaid attachment station on the apparatus. Other auxiliary means may also be associated with the apparatus adjacent the attachment station operable also in timed relation to the attachment and puncturing means for releasably clamping border material 14 in position at the attachment station during the attaching and puncturing operations as will be more fully described herein.

The ventilator-handles 10 of interest to the invention may be of the type illustrated in the drawings being of elongated form provided with two terminals 10a whereby the handles may be attached to mattress border material 14. Each said terminal 10a is formed with perforations therein providing the vents 12 extending through said terminal 10a from one face thereof to the other, the handles 10 being attachable to mattress border 14 by known fastening means such as the deformable collar, prong and retaining ring assembly illustrated herein. As will be seen from FIGS. 4 and 7 of the drawings, such a fastener comprised of a metal collar 18 and integral prongs 20 is insertable through corresponding slotting in each handle terminal 10a for cooperative engagement with a retaining ring 22 on that surface of the mattress border 14 remote from the handle 10 itself; the actual attachment being carried out by the aforesaid attaching means A as is described in more detail herein.

Referring now to FIG. I of the drawings, there is shown the instant apparatus including the aforesaid attaching means A and puncturing means P together with mechanism, in the form of the takeup drum 16, for advancing mattress border material 14 through an attachment station on the apparatus from storage means such as drum 24. The apparatus also includes delivery means (not illustrated) whereby successive handles 10 may be fed to the attachment station for attachment to the border 14 at spaced-apart intervals therealong as the border is advanced through the attachment station. It should thus be appreciated that the handle 10 shown in FIG. 1 located in the attachment station above mattress border 14 will have been delivered to such position by the aforesaid delivery means which may conveniently be of the type described and claimed in my copending US. Application Ser. No. 765,561 filed Oct. 7, I968.

The aforesaid attaching means A and puncturing means P together with the border advancing mechanism 16 are all operable in timed relationship one to another to procure attachment of handles 10 to the border material 14 as it is advanced through the attachment station as aforesaid whilst, at the same time, puncturing the border 14 at locations in registration with the aforesaid vents 12 formed in the handles 10 and, in this embodiment, such locations are disposed in registration with the handle terminals 100.

The attaching means A is essentially comprised of a fixed bed 26 having a horizontal support surface over which the border material 14 is movable by the advance mechanism 16 and a pair of cooperating dies movable towards and away from one another to effect assembly of the aforesaid fastening means to secure a handle 10 to the border material 14 by means of the handle terminals 10a. As is particularly illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the aforesaid pair of cooperating dies is comprised of an upper die having a pair of press elements 28 movable in unison by connecting block 27 to engage with the upper surfaces of handle terminals 10a;

such movement being in a vertical plane towards and away from the fixed support surface 26 by means such as pneumatic motor 29. The lower dies are comprised of two horizontally reciprocable slide members 30 movable in corresponding slideways formed in the support surface 26 for location below the upper dies 28 in such manner that the handle terminals 10a and border material 14 may be clamped between the upper and lower dies upon lowering of the upper dies 28.

As is illustrated in FIG. 1, each handle 10 is delivered to the attachment station with a metal collar and prong assembly 18- 20 already inserted within the slotting in the handle terminals 10a whilst the reciprocable lower dies 30 carry a cooperating retaining ring 22 therein; each reciprocating die 30 automatically picking up a retaining ring 22 upon sliding movement to a retracted position (not illustrated herein). Such pickup mechanism may be of conventional form and need not, therefore, be described in more detail herein.

FIGS. 1 and 3 indicate the relative positions of the handle terminals 10a and dies 2830 immediately prior to attachment whilst FIG. 4 indicates the manner in which, upon lowering of the upper dies 28, the fastener prongs 20 are deformed and bent around an associated retaining ring 22 to secure the handle terminal 10a to the mattress border material 14.

In accordance with the invention, the mattress border material 14 is punctured at a location disposed in registration with the vents 12 in the handle terminals 10a during the attaching operation. 1 To this end, the puncturing means P aforesaid comprises, in this embodiment, rotary cutting heads 32 reciprocable axially towards and away from the upper dies 28 between a retracted or neutral position indicated in FIG. 3 and an extended operative position as shown in FIG. 4.

The puncturing means, illustrated in more detail in FIGS. and 6 of the drawings, comprises the two aforesaid rotary cutting heads 32 mounted upon a common yoke 34 and driven for rotation by a belt drive 36 from a drive roller 38. Referring to FIG. 6, it will be seen that the whole assembly of yoke 34 and cutting heads 32 is reciprocable axially relative to the dies 28-30 by suitable means, such as the pneumatic cylinder 40 illustrated, between limits determined by the length of an elongated slot 42 formed in a mounting member 44 for the yoke 34 and within which a pin 46 attached to the yoke 34 is slidable. It will be noted that the drive roller 38 is somewhat elongated to accommodate continued engagement therewith of the belt drive 36 at and between the limits of reciprocable movement ofthe yoke 34.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 to 4, together with FIG. 6, it will be noted that the reciprocable slide dies 30 are each formed at their extremities with an annular depression 48 to accommodate pickup and carrying of retaining ring 22 as aforesaid. Centrally ofthis annular depression 48 in each die 30, there is provided a circular aperture 50 locatable directly above a corresponding cutting head 32 so that, in the extended operative position of the cutting head 32 as indicated at FIG. 4, it may pass through such aperture 50 to puncture the border material 14 at a location disposed in registration with the vent holes 12 formed in the handle terminal a. It will, of course, be understood that the upper limit of movement of the cutting head 32, determined by the relative orientation of the pin 46 and the slot 42 aforesaid, will be such as to permit complete penetration through the border material 14 from one side thereof to the other without, however, coming into contact with the terminal 10a itself.

It will be appreciated that the border material 14 will have to be retained upon the support surface 26 in a comparatively tense condition to permit the cutting head 32 to puncture it without dragging the border material upwardly off the support surface to any great extent during the puncturing operation. Such retention of border material 14 is, to some extent, carried out by the engagement of the prongs with the border material 14 during their penetration thereof as the terminal 100 and prongs 20 are pressed downwardly by the upper dies 28 to cooperate with the retaining rings 22 carried by the lower reciprocable dies 30. However, there may also be provided separate clamping means 52, also operable in timed relation to the other elements of the attaching apparatus, for clamping a section of the border material 14 in the attachment station. Such clamping means 52 may be comprised of the spring-loaded plungers (illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 6) carried by the upper die-carrying block 27 for movement as aforesaid, each such clamping plunger 52 being movable from a retracted inoperative position as shown in FIG. 3 against its spring bias to an extended clamping position as shown in FIG.

In operation, therefore, a handle 10 is delivered to the attachment station on the apparatus with the collar 18 and prongs 20 of the fastening means already engaged within the terminals and, at the commencement of the cycle of operations (as indicated in FIG. 1), the upper die members 28 and the puncturing means P are both retracted to their inoperative positions whilst the lower dies 30 carrying the retaining rings 22 therein are extended to the position shown in FIG. 2 having previously picked up a retaining ring as aforesaid. The various elements of the apparatus are then operated in timed relation to one another, all conveniently under pneumatic control as illustrated herein, such operation being controlled by suitable timing mechanism which may conveniently be of a conventional structure and which it is not deemed necessary to illustrate or describe in detail herein. Thus the clamping plungers 52 are extended to grip a section of the border material within the attachment station and the upper die members 28 are lowered towards the lower dies 30 to cause penetration of the border 14 by the prongs 20 of the fastening means and to cause cooperation between the prongs 20 and the retaining ring 22 in the lower die 30 to deform the extremities of the prongs 20 around the retaining ring 22 and secure the handle terminal 10a to the border 14 in the manner indicated in FIG. 4. During the attaching operation aforesaid, the puncturing means is actuated to cause the cutting members to be extended to the position indicated in dotted outline in FIG. 6 and as illustrated in detail in FIG. 4 to cause cutting of the border material at a location disposed immediately below the vents in the handle terminal. After extension to the position shown in FIG. 4, the cutting heads are retained in this position for a predetermined time before they are retracted to ensure complete removal of the material cut out by the heads, such removed material conveniently being ejected from the cutting heads through a hollow bore formed therethrough.

At the end of this predetermined period of time, the cutters are retracted, the upper clamping die is retracted and the plungers are retracted at which time attachment of the handle to the mattress border material is completed. The lower dies are then retracted to pick up a further retaining ring and are then extended back to their operative position shown in FIG. 2 ready for a further cycle of operations whilst the advance mechanism is also actuated to advance the border material through the attachment station for a predetermined distance. Upon delivery of a further handle to the attachment station, the cycle of operations is completed.

It will thus be seen that the present apparatus provides for a rapid and continuous attachment of handles at spaced-apart intervals along border material whilst, at the same time, providing for puncturing of the border in registration with the handle vents whereby mattress border material provided with true venting through the handle vents is produced ready for subsequent cutting or joining for inclusion in a mattress assembly.

It will be appreciated that the hereinbefore described embodiments of the invention have been selected solely for the expository purposes hereof and should not be construed in a limiting sense; various modifications being readily suggestible to those skilled in the art and the true scope of the invention being restricted only by the claims hereinafter set forth.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for attaching ventilator handles to mattress border, said handles having vents therein which are disposed in superposed relation to said border when the handles are at tached thereto, said apparatus including:

mechanism for moving mattress border relative to an attachment station; means at said attachment station for attaching successive handles to said border at predetermined intervals therealong; means at said attachment station operable in timed relation to said attaching means for forming successive punctures in said border; said punctures being located for registration with the said handle vents when the handles are attached as aforesaid.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including:

a support for said border at said attachment station;

said puncturing means being movable relative to said sup port between an inoperative position and an operative position for fonning punctures as aforesaid in border located on said support,

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further including:

stop means cooperatively engageable with said puncturing means for limiting movement thereof between said operative and inoperative positions; said engagement permitting, in said operative position of said puncturing means, complete penetration of said border by said puncturing means in interference-free relation to said handle vents.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said puncturing means includes a plurality of cutting heads operable for forming simultaneous punctures in said border. each said puncture being located for registratio as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven cutting heads operable for fonning simultaneous punctures in said border, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with a corresponding handle vent.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven elongated cutting heads engageable with said border for forming simultaneous punctures therein, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents;

said cutting heads being of tubular discharge of waste cuttings therethrough.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said puncturing means includes a plurality of cutting heads operable simultaneously for forming punctures in said border, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents;

form procuring said cutting heads being carried on a common mounting and.

operably driven by a common drive;

means being provided for moving said mounting and drive together with said cutting heads relative to said border for forming punctures as aforesaid.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven elongated cutting heads engageable with said border for forming simultaneous punctures therein, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents; said cutting heads being of tubular form procuring discharge of waste cuttings therethrough; said cutting heads being carried on a common mounting and driven by a common drive; means being provided for moving said mounting and drive together with said cutting heads between said operative and inoperative positions; said support including a support surface for said border and passageways extending through said support accommodating penetration therethrough of said cutting heads in their said operative position; said cutting heads being retractable through said passageways clear of said surface I in said inoperative position.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven elongated cutting heads engageable with said border for forming simultaneous punctures therein, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents; said cutting heads being of tubular form procuring discharge of waste cuttings therethrough; said cutting heads being carried on a common driven by a common drive;

means being provided for moving said mounting and drive together with' said cutting heads between said operative and inoperative positions;

said support including a support surface for said border and passageways extending through said support accommodating penetration therethrough of said cutting heads in their said operative position; said cutting heads being retractable through said passageways clear of said sup port surface in said inoperative position; and

structure at said attachment station operable in timed relation to said attaching and puncturing means for releasably clamping said border against movement relative to said support surface during the attaching and puncturing operations.

10. Method of attaching ventilator handles with vents therein to mattress border in superposed relation thereto comprising:

moving mattress border through an attachment station;

attaching successive handles to the said border at the attachment station as the border is moved therethrough, and

puncturing the border at the attachment station at locations in registration with the said handle vents.

11. Method according to claim 10 wherein:

the border is punctured as aforesaid during the attaching of a handle thereto,

mounting and 

1. Apparatus for attaching ventilator handles to mattress border, said handles having vents therein which are disposed in superposed relation to said border when the handles are attached thereto, said apparatus including: mechanism for moving mattress border relative to an attachment station; means at said attachment station for attaching successive handles to said border at predetermined intervals therealong; means at said attachment station operable in timed relation to said attaching means for forming successive punctures in said border; said punctures being located for registration with the said handle vents when the handles are attached as aforesaid.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including: a support for said border at said attachment station; said puncturing means being movable relative to said support between an inoperative position and an operative position for forming punctures as aforesaid in border located on said support.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further including: stop means cooperatively engageable with said puncturing means for limiting movement thereof between said operative and inoperative positions; said engagement permitting, in said operative position of said puncturing means, complete penetration of said border by said puncturing means in interference-free relation to said handle vents.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of cutting heads operable for forming simultaneous punctures in said border, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven cutting heads operable for forming simultaneous punctures in said border, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with a corresponding handle vent.
 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven elongated cutting heads engageable with said border for forming simultaneous punctures thereIn, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents; said cutting heads being of tubular form procuring discharge of waste cuttings therethrough.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of cutting heads operable simultaneously for forming punctures in said border, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents; said cutting heads being carried on a common mounting and operably driven by a common drive; means being provided for moving said mounting and drive together with said cutting heads relative to said border for forming punctures as aforesaid.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven elongated cutting heads engageable with said border for forming simultaneous punctures therein, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents; said cutting heads being of tubular form procuring discharge of waste cuttings therethrough; said cutting heads being carried on a common mounting and driven by a common drive; means being provided for moving said mounting and drive together with said cutting heads between said operative and inoperative positions; said support including a support surface for said border and passageways extending through said support accommodating penetration therethrough of said cutting heads in their said operative position; said cutting heads being retractable through said passageways clear of said surface in said inoperative position.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein: said puncturing means includes a plurality of rotatably driven elongated cutting heads engageable with said border for forming simultaneous punctures therein, each said puncture being located for registration as aforesaid with corresponding handle vents; said cutting heads being of tubular form procuring discharge of waste cuttings therethrough; said cutting heads being carried on a common mounting and driven by a common drive; means being provided for moving said mounting and drive together with said cutting heads between said operative and inoperative positions; said support including a support surface for said border and passageways extending through said support accommodating penetration therethrough of said cutting heads in their said operative position; said cutting heads being retractable through said passageways clear of said support surface in said inoperative position; and structure at said attachment station operable in timed relation to said attaching and puncturing means for releasably clamping said border against movement relative to said support surface during the attaching and puncturing operations.
 10. Method of attaching ventilator handles with vents therein to mattress border in superposed relation thereto comprising: moving mattress border through an attachment station; attaching successive handles to the said border at the attachment station as the border is moved therethrough, and puncturing the border at the attachment station at locations in registration with the said handle vents.
 11. Method according to claim 10 wherein: the border is punctured as aforesaid during the attaching of a handle thereto. 